We are pleased to launch a new programme resource for the Company & Seniors age groups. The ‘Your Future’ Programme has been produced in partnership with the University of Bolton to help raise the aspirations of young people in The Boys’ Brigade and support them in exploring, planning and making decisions that will help them become who they want to be.

Through the programmes young people will identify and develop their own skills, consider their future goals/dreams, build self-confidence and independence.

What Are The ‘Your Future’ Programmes?

The ‘Your Future’ programmes consist of two separate programmes, one aimed at the Company age group and the other for Seniors. Both programmes are designed to help young people to look ahead to their futures and start exploring, planning and achieving their future goals and dreams.

Your Future: Explore & Plan (Company)

Helping young people to explore and plan their futures with confidence, figuring out what they are passionate about, identify strengths, building transferable skills and exploring different pathways to their future dreams.

Your Future: Plan & Become (Seniors)

Equipping young people with the skills needed to plan their futures, building on their strengths, learning more about themselves and exploring the options available to help them become the best future versions of themselves.

Click on the links above to explore the Activity Cards, including the fully resourced PowerPoints, Activity Sheets and more.

The programmes have been created to be run over 4 or 5 weeks within a term, although these don’t have to be consecutive weeks and the programme may benefit from being spaced out across the duration of a term.

Whilst the Company and Seniors programmes are designed so that young people can build on what they have done previously, they can be run as a standalone (i.e. a young person does not have to have completed the Company programme to be able to complete the Seniors programme).

Helping You To Deliver The Programme

Funding secured by the University of Bolton has enabled us to produce and distribute printed resources to support you in delivering the programme. A printed 12-page Themed Programme booklet for each age group, as well as other Activity Sheets, resources and materials have been sent to the Leader-in-Charge of the Company and Seniors age groups.

We hope that you will be able to make use of these resources in delivering these programmes during the Autumn 2022 term, although if it does not fit in with your plans for Autumn, you can of course look to include it in your programme later in the session (i.e. Spring/Summer terms).

Optional Adventure Activity

The majority of the ‘Your Future’ programmes can take place in your normal meeting space, but there is an optional activity within the programme which encourages you to get your young people outdoors and adventurous. Consider planning in this activity as part of running this programme.

Funding is available for Companies in England & Wales, providing grants of £250 to support delivering an adventurous activity session as part of the ‘Your Future’ programmes. Eligibility for the grant is simple, you just have to have completed at least one activity from the programme and be planning to complete a minimum of six activities in total. Once you have applied for the grant you will receive confirmation within seven days and transfer of funds within 21 days thus enabling you to organise the adventure activity alongside the rest of the programme. A short evaluation will be a requirement of the funding, more details will be sent out as part of the funding confirmation.

Click HERE to apply for your grant of £250 (England & Wales only)

Monthly Competitions

As part of the ‘Your Future’ programmes we have monthly competitions running for each age group:

• The Shelter Challenge (Company) – Part of the ‘Mission to Mars’ activity. Submit a photo of your team(s) attempt at building a shelter. The best shelter will be picked each month and a £50 prize sent to the winning entry, to help buy a new piece of equipment for the Company.
• Balloon Chair Challenge (Seniors) – Part of the ‘Up, Up and Away’ activity. Submit a photo of your team(s) attempt at creating a balloon chair. The best chair will be picked each month and a £50 prize sent to the winning entry, to help buy a new piece of equipment for the Company
• Your Future Snapshots (Company & Seniors) – We are also encouraging you to post photos of young people participating in any of the ‘Your Future’ activities. The best photo will be picked each month and a £50 prize sent to the winning entry. To qualify all entries must contain a photo with young people participating in a ‘Your Future’ activity and be posted on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #YourFutureBB

Click HERE to enter our ‘Your Future’ competitions and be in with a chance of winning £50. Click HERE to see our competition winners so far.

Certificates of Recognition

Once you have completed the programme (based on completing at least six activities) then you can download the Certificate of Recognition. The certificates can then be something that can be added to a young person’s Record of Achievement (or similar), which could be of use in the future.

Certificates can be downloaded HERE

I’ve Got Some Questions . . .

Check out our recent webinar which explains more about the ‘Your Future’ programmes below. Should you have any further questions or would like more information then please get in touch with us at programme@boys-brigade.org.uk